Initiatives Regarding Biodiversity
In October 2010, the 10th Conference Parties (COP10) to discuss biodiversity will be held in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. In recent years, biodiversity has been increasingly gaining attention in line with corporate activities. In this report, we introduce initiatives regarding biodiversity implemented by Group companies Toyoha Mine Co., Ltd. and Nikko Exploration and Development Co., Ltd
Initiatives Implemented at the Toyoha Mine
The Toyoha Mine produced zinc, lead, silver, and indium since it had been acquired by Kuhara Mining Co., Ltd. (the name at that time) in 1914. However, in March 2006, it ceased operation as its ore reserves had been depleted.
Maintaining and enhancing the surrounding environment through new effluent treatment facilities
Tailing dumping sites and used pits in closed mines possibly possess a risk of producing acidic wastewater that contains metals. Therefore, it is necessary to permanently process this wastewater and prevent water contamination of the surrounding rivers.
In order to purify wastewater more efficiently to safeguard the quality of water for future years, new effluent treatment facilities were constructed at the Toyoha Mine in October 2008. These facilities were designed and constructed in close cooperation with the Hokkaido government's Industrial Safety and Inspection Department and Sapporo City. The main features of these facilities are listed below.
- All facilities are set indoors so that they can operate stably even in the depths of winter and under heavy snow.
- The facilities are aligned with a dual line structure. While one line operates under ordinary conditions, the other line begins effluent treatment when it finds the volume of wastewater exceeds a specific level.
- A pipeline set between the tailing dumping site and the facilities with dual structure of pipes placed into a concrete culvert strictly prevents leakage of wastewater.
- Equipped with a power generator and large emergency water tanks, these facilities do not leak untreated waste water even when the electric power goes down or a malfunction occurs.
The facilities experienced no serious trouble and have routinely produced high-quality processed water during their one year test run. At the same time, these facilities meet the criterion relating to water quality stipulated in the agreement on environmental pollution control made with Sapporo City. Furthermore, we have covered the tailing dumping site with soil to create an environment in which we can help grow healthy plants. With these efforts, we strive to maintain and further improve biodiversity in and around the mine site.
Contributing to the environment through forest improvement activities
In fiscal 1993, Toyoha Mine Co., Ltd. signed a forestry contract with the Hokkaido Regional Forest Office. In this contract, the company is working to improve approximately 6.8 hectares of a national forestland located in the Minami Ward of Sapporo City in Hokkaido Prefecture. With 10 years having passed since the contract was concluded, the Hokkaido Regional Forest Office recognized the following benefits on our activities.
1. Contribution to grow watershed protection forests
Forests play a major role in stabilizing the flow volume of water in rivers by temporarily storing water and slowly draining it into the river system. As a result, forests help prevent floods and droughts as well as purify water.
| Volume of water stored | 26,364m3 (equivalent to 105 pools with dimensions 25m length x 10m width x 1m depth) |
|---|---|
| Volume of water purified | 26,364m3 (equivalent to 14,446 household filtration cartridges with a useful life of six months) |
* The figures are calculated from the difference between water volumes absorbed by soil with and without forests.
2. Contribution to the prevention of soil erosion
Fallen leaves and plants protect soil in a forest from being eroded by rain water.
| Volume of soil erosion prevented | 874m3 (equivalent to volume of cone-shaped soil 7.4m high and 21.21m diameter) |
|---|
* The figure is calculated from the difference between soil volume eroded from lands with and without forests.
3. Contribution to absorption of CO2 and carbon fixation
When the trees in a forest perform photosynthesis, they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, thus helping to prevent global warming.
| Volume of CO2 absorption and carbon fixation | 100 tons (CO2 emitted by a car driving 430 thousand km, or driving around the circumference of the earth 10.8 times, with a fuel consumption rate of 10km/l) |
|---|
Initiatives Implemented by Nikko Exploration and Development
Nikko Exploration and Development Co., Ltd. has been developing remote sensing technology, including aerial photography and analysis as well as the interpretation of satellite images since satellite remote sensing technology first made its appearance. Currently, Nikko Exploration and Development is applying this technology in a wide range of areas such as in the exploration of natural resources and the analysis of the global environment.
Resource exploration by remote sensing
Left: Satellite image taken by research satellite Terra (EOS AM-1)
Right: Mineral distribution map created from the satellite image
Satellite images taken with light of a certain wavelength, which human eyes cannot see, show differences that reflect the type of minerals present.
The image on the far right is a mineral distribution map created from a picture taken by a satellite. The colors represent the following:
Red: areas where alunite and kaolin are distributed.
Green: areas where sericite is distributed.
Blue: areas where chlorite is distributed.
In addition to this example, applying various reflection signatures identifies a wide variety of minerals and estimates their volumes.
Probe of the surface of the moon by remote sensing
Image of the moon surface near the Aristarchus crater taken by the lunar probe Clementine
The image on the far right is created by sharpening a photo of the moon's surface taken by the lunar probe Clementine to analyze the surface of the moon.
The yellow areas represent anorthosite, while the blue areas represent basalt in a mare of the moon. Analysis of the volume of titanium contained in the mare is also being tested as another approach.
Monitoring of the environment through remote sensing
Nikko Exploration and Development has applied remote sensing technology cultivated in resource exploration to monitor the natural environment in order to maintain and improve biodiversity.
Monitoring and protecting mangrove forests
Change in growth of mangrove forests decimated by defoliants (Left: March 1989; Right: February 2003)
Mangrove forests form rich biodiverse habitats in coastal areas of tropical and sub-tropical zones as well as being closely related to human life. However, as these forests are located in areas where access is difficult, it is hard to identify those areas where mangrove forests are found. Also, making periodic surveys to properly identify distribution conditions of each species of mangrove remain challenges to be solved. Nikko Exploration and Development is striving to protect mangrove forests in coastal areas by using satellite images and developing its mapping expertise.
